Sonora jha, fatima farheen mirza, sharmila sen, pramila. Sonora jhas riveting and ambitious debut novel foreign dazzles with its sweeping international perspective, but its the novels heartbreaking and intimate core that is its greatest achievement. I started out as a journalist and still write opeds. Her first novel, foreign, has sprung from her work as a. Of farmer suicides and bitter nris books hindustan times. Nilanjana roy wins the 20 shakti bhatt first book prize. Sonora jhas foreign is the best novel you cant buy on amazon. Sonora jhas foreign is the best novel you cant buy on amazon a literaryjournalistic odyssey, from seattle to india and back again. Dsouzas novella, dweepa first published in 1970 in prakasha, a weekly from manipal and translated from kannada into english by susheela punitha for oup in 20 is about the displacement of farmers in the malnad region due to the building of. Book reading you are michelangelo and you are david. Formerly a journalist in india and singapore, her recent political essays and opeds have been published in the new york times, the seattle times, seattle weekly, and the globalist. Sonora jhas riveting and ambitious debut novel foreign dazzles with its sweeping international perspective, but its the novels heartbreaking and intimate core. Swenson described jha as a writer with great storytelling skills who created vivid and compelling characters in her book, foreign. She is a professor of journalism and media studies at seattle university.
The establishment ran from october 2015 to april 2019. It is no mean feat that sonora jhas debut novel foreign concerns itself with the farmer suicides of vidarbha, a tragedy ignored in mainstream. She is now a professor of journalism and the chair of the department of communication at seattle university. Formerly a journalist in india and singapore, her recent political essays and opeds have been published in the new york times, the seattle times, seattle weekly and the globalist.
Peter mountford, the young mans guide to late capitalis m. What does being shortlisted for the hindu prize 20 mean to you. Sonora jha steps in as hugo houses writerinresidence. A woman must travel back to india to find her son who has gone to find his father, in a village where every eight hours a farmer commits suicide in foreign, sonora jhas debut novel about poverty and suicides among farmers in india. A novel sonora jha on free shipping on qualifying offers. Sonora jha was born in india, where she had a successful career as a journalist in mumbai and bangalore before moving to singapore and then the united states to earn a ph. Katyas face and a cotton flower on the cover of jhas book foreign. Her debut novel, foreign, was nominated for the hindu literary prize last. Two powerful books of fiction and farmers in india jaya. We asked her about her work as an activist and the connections with her most recent book of fiction. Starting in 2018 a nonfiction category was included. A public health scholar who has done research and teaching in both his native india and the u.
We championed the voices and stories of those marginalized by mainstream media, publishing more than 4,000 stories by more than 900 writers. A novel hardcover sonora jha inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your first box. Sonora jha, professor of journalism and the chair of the department of communication at seattle university, however, harvests it for fiction. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Katya misra is a tenuretrack professor in seattle, us. Sonora jha, shortlisted for the hindu prize for best fiction for foreign, says the appreciation for her debut book has empowered her as a writer. The books in contention for this years cash prize of rs 1 lakh and trophy. Her first novel, foreign has sprung from her work as a journalist, an academic and a.
It is well written, witty, smart and leaves you so engaged in the adventures and of her characters. Sonora jhas riveting and ambitious debut novel foreign dazzles with its. A personal history of outlawed love and sex atria, a personal story with larger ramifications. Of farmer suicides and bitter nris after having read years of journalistic prose about farmer suicides, it came as a thing of curiosity when sonora jhas debut novel foreign announced itself. She was formerly a journalist in india and singapore and among her appointments were that of chief of bureau and special correspondent for the times of. Sonora jhas foreign shines light on farmer suicide in india the. Peter mountford, the young mans guide to late capitalism a heartrending, heartwarming tale of maternal love battling the allure and despair of the suicide fields.
Sonora jha is a journalist, fiction writer, hedgebrook alumna and current board member. The first year, 2010, the award was called the hindu best fiction award. The novel was recently shortlisted for 20 shakti bhatt first book prize. Praise for sonora jhas debut novel, foreign sonora jha s riveting and ambitious debut novel foreign dazzles with its sweeping international perspective, but its the novels heartbreaking and intimate core that is its greatest achievement. Once jha establishes the framework of her story and climbs deep into her book s activist heart, foreign becomes a kind of thriller. She created beautiful strong characters, tragic and heartwarming events, and amplified the redeeming qualities of humanity, in order to shed some light on some of the harsh realities of life in india. She is now a professor of journalism and the chair of the department of. Though katyas character shares many background details with those of jha herself, the similarities become fewer and farther between as the story progresses. Sonora jhas foreign is the best novel you cant buy on. Sonora jha makes the suicide of cotton farmers focus of her debut novel, foreign 20 and na. In a village in india, a forsaken man is about to kill himself in quiet des.
Her first poetry collection, look, published by graywolf press in 2016, was a finalist for the national book award. Siddharth dube with sonora jha the elliott bay book company. Advance praise for foreign sonora jhas riveting and ambitious debut novel foreign dazzles with its sweeping international perspective, but its the novels heartbreaking and intimate core that is. Even with her credentials, jha isnt boastful about being selected for the hugo house position. Amrita ghosh, coeditor cerebration, talks to sonora jha about her debut novel and her work. L ocal author sonora jha made her name as a journalist in mumbai and bangalore before moving to the us, where she eventually became head of the communication. Tell us about your work as a writerdo you write in multiple genresforms.
At the end of the book, its up to you to decide whether you want to dismiss foreign as just another work of fiction and forget about the underlying grave issue of farmer suicides woven into this heartrending tale,or as its protagonist urges, dont be overwhelmed by how little you know. Sonora jha has done for rural indian what katherine boo did for urban india. I think when i was a journalist and i was writing stories there, it was very important to be on the ground and be from there. Six books were nominated for the shakti bhatt first book prize this year. Jha mingles her passion for fiction and compassion for vidarbha farmers in her debut novel,foreign, published by random house india. Katyas face and a cotton flower on the cover of jha s book foreign. It recognizes indian works in english and english translation. The love story in foreign is not the one shared by katya and her american fiance or. Your child has survived, writes sonora jha, 45, the author of foreign, her debut novel published by random house india. It is well worth reading for these moments, fogeign it shows that sonora jha, this journalist, is also a novelist and has potential to be a master but the story lost its charm in the mid. Seattleviamumbai author sonora jhas foreign might be the best. The other contenders for the award this year were boats on land by janice pariat, india becoming by akash kapur, the kings harvest by chetan raj shreshta, foreign by sonora jha and a pleasant.
The book, a new york times best books of 2011, has had the literary world eating out of its hands, so much so that its being touted as one of the best books on baseballs yet yes, by americans themselves. Meet sonora jha whose book foreign has been shortlisted for the hindu prize 20. Sonora jha s foreign is the best novel you cant buy on amazon a literaryjournalistic odyssey, from seattle to india and back again by paul constant. Photo courtesy sonora jha i actually dont like that character at all jha said. Her writing captured the imagination and kept me from being able to put the book down. Sonora jha foreign, and host ryan boudinot afterlife, littlest hitler for a panel discussion about seattles growing literary representation on both the regional and international scene. Contact information find the best way to get in touch with sonora by joining muck rack. Her debut book foreign is a fictionalized account of the farmers suicides in contemporary india. Thank you to everyone who supported us and made the est. Her debut novel, foreign, based on the farmer suicides in contemporary india and published by random house india, comes out of her work as a journalist, an academic, and a creative writer. Sonora jha, fatima farheen mirza, sharmila sen, pramila venkateswaran tasveer south asian litfest.
Sonora jha is the author of the novel foreign, published in 20 by random house india. Sonora jha quartz, seattle times, alternet journalist. She is currently a lecturer at stanford university. In a village in india, a forsaken man is about to kill himself in quiet despair. By sonora jha sonora jha s debut novel, a gripping narrative on farmer suicides in maharashtra,weaves a fascinating tale of love, hope and redemption. Sonora jha was born in india, where she had a successful career as a journalist in mumbai and bangalore before moving to the united states to earn a ph. Her debut novel, foreign, is literary fiction based on the true stories of farmers suicides in vidarbha and has been shortlisted for the hindu prize. Book reading and launch, multicity book tour organized for foreign by random house india mumbai, bangalore, new delhi, amritsar, july 20. Peter mountford, the young mans guide to late capitalism.